Verizon Wireless has jumped into the netbook game, offering the HP Mini 115NR for $200 with a two-year data contract priced at $40 to $60 per month. The offering isn't as aggressive as AT&T has been in the netbook arena. AT&T is offering an Acer mini laptop for $50 and a Dell for $150.
[1]This week, Verizon Wireless also increased the data cap from 50 MB to 250 MB for its subscribers buying the $40 per month plan. The operator also dropped its overage fees for its $60 and $40 mobile broadband plans, from $.25 per megabit to $.05/MB and $.10/MB. And the $40 plan has seen its data usage limit increase from 50 MB to 250 MB.
Current Analysis analysts William Ho and Kathryn Weldon said in a research note that Verizon Wireless' data plan changes "will certainly influence AT&T to rethink and likely move on its own data overage fees and its $39.99 Data connect plan usage limit to match." The analysts added that Verizon Wireless' data plan adjustments "show the carrier is taking a more aggressive stance in laying the groundwork for more data use."
Right now, AT&T is the most punitive when it comes to overage charges, according to research from Current Analysis. For its $40 per month plan, it charges about $1/MB as an overage rate and $.51/MB for its $60 plan. Meanwhile, Sprint has historically had the lowest overage rate, $.05/MB for its $60 plan. Verizon Wireless' adjustments have implications for both operators.
For more:
- check out Bloomberg [2]
Related Articles:
Verizon Wireless offers relief on data caps [3]
How long can mobile operators institute data usage caps [1]?
AT&T, RadioShack [4]face class action suit over netbook data plan
RadioShack announces $99 netbook tied to AT&T data contract [5]
2008 Year in Review: Netbooks and 3G dongles drive mobile broadband [6]
Sales of netbooks set to rise in 2009 [7]
ABI: Ultra-mobile device shipments to exceed 200M by 2013 [8]
Vodafone Hungary implements 'soft caps' on mobile data usage [9]
Mobile data: Can carriers ride the wave? [10]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/unlimited/2009-03-02
[2] http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aDIDGHmGISZE&refer=us
[3] http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/verizon-wireless-offers-relief-data-caps/2009-05-12
[4] http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/t-radioshack-face-class-action-suit-over-netbook-data-plan/2009-03-01?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss&cmp-id=OTC-RSS-FBW0
[5] http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/subsidy/2008-12-14?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss&cmp-id=OTC-RSS-FBW0
[6] http://www.fiercewireless.com/europe/story/2008-year-review-netbooks-and-3g-dongles-drive-mobile-broadband/2008-12-19
[7] http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/sales-netbooks-set-rise-2009/2009-01-13
[8] http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/abi-ultra-mobile-device-shipments-exceed-200m-2013/2008-11-12
[9] http://www.fiercebroadbandwireless.com/story/vodafone-hungary-implements-soft-caps-mobile-data-usage/2009-01-21
[10] http://www.fiercewireless.com/story/mobile-data-can-carriers-ride-wave/2008-11-12